Sheet metal grippers with competing gripping force with double jaw/single jaw opening options for press shop automation are relatively less compact and sturdy. This limits the speed of the pressing operation that significantly challenges how fast the sheets can be maneuvered from successive forming stations. The heavier the weight of gripper, the more it hinders the end of the robot. This compels the robot to move slower due to an increase in applied moment. Accordingly, it is desired to lessen the weight of the gripper while achieving all gripper characteristics.
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a modular sheet metal gripper that bridges the bottlenecks of weight aspects with compact size while ensuring competing gripping characteristics. The present gripper is formed from aluminum and steel. The pneumatic actuator sweeps definite air volume for quick actuation. The pair of opposite facing jaws provides a unique cam profile as well as respected pivot points. This prevents the non-gripping end of each jaw from protruding from the top and bottom plane of the gripper body. This enables the use of the grippers in narrow or confined space and direct base mount requirements. The footprint of this gripper is relatively compact compared to currently available grippers, while achieving competing gripping force. The gripper actuation speed is relatively fast.
The jaws of typical grippers are removable and replaceable with different jaws to accommodate to different styles of jaw configuration. For example, jaws having different cam slot shapes may be substituted to partial jaw opening of a bottom jaw.
In a typical production line, grippers are mounted in narrow spaces or confined spaces that limits the jaw opening. The gripper requires jaw opening adjustments. The present gripper has jaw opening angle adjustability arrangements. This facilitates the desired jaw opening by a striker and adjustable bumper that is mounted to the gripper body. Also, an adjustable sheet stopper, designed with a pair of curvature slots, allows adjustable variable stopper plate position. Also this invention includes part presence sensor brackets, jaw open/close position/double blank sensing brackets, magnetic sensor bracket and adjustable sheet stopper are designed with compatible mounting option on both side of the gripper and enable adjusted variable positions.